Bomb catapult



Apri18, 1941. T 4 2.237.848

. BOMB (:ATAPULT I Filed March 15, 1959 4 Sheets-Shet 1 v Inventor,

. 5'1 $a22zk April 1941' J. H. SMITH, JR 2.237.848

'BOMB GATAPULT Filed March 15, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor ezzraw a, a):

Attorneys April 1941- .1. H. SMITH, JR

BOMB CATAPULT Filed March 15, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor April 8, 1941.

BOMB CATAPULT Filed March 15, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

A iiomeys Patented Apr, 8,

This invention appertains to new and useful improvements in bombing mechanism for aircraft.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide bombing mechanism for aircraft in the nature of. a catapult for projecting the bombs in a direction toward the objective while the aircraft is traveling at high speed, thus permitting the aircraft to swing off laterally in advance of its objective, thus eliminating the danger from anti-aircraft guns, as when the aircraft is compelled to pass directly over the objective to accurately send 01? its load of bombs.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a bomb catapulting means for aircraft which can be set for operation while the aircraft is traveling toward its objective, and preferably not until after it has passed'over into enemy territory.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following specification.

In the drawlng's Figure 1, represents a bottom plan view of the aircraft equipped with the novel catapulting means.

Figure 2 represents a bottom plan view of the aircraft with the catapulting means in unset position.

Figure 3 is a side elevatlonal view of the aircraft with a portion broken away disclosing the drive means. L

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view on a line 34 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional View on a line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figured is a. sectional view taken substantiallyon a line Hof Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of one of the catapult arms.

Figure 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 Figure'3.

Figure 9 represents a fragmentary perspective view of the bomb carrying end of one .of the catapult arms.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that the numeral generally refers to a conventional aircraft which includes the fuselage 8 and the laterally disposed wings 1-1. The usual stabilizers, elevators and rudder are denoted by numerals 8, 9 and I0.

The landing wheels are denoted by numeral I I. In carrying out the present invention an arouate track I! extends from each wing l to a midpoint of the fuselage 6 at the under side thereof. The ends of these tracks l2 are bent upwardly, one end of each track being secured to its corresponding wing 1 while its rear end is secured to the fuselage 6.

Upon these tracks I2 ride the catapult arms l3-l3, each of which at its fuselage end being equipped with a bevel gear l4 rotatably mounted on the stub shaft l5 depending from the fuselage 6. These gears It mesh with gears it at the ends of the shaft of the motor H which can be suitably mounted under the cabin portion of the fuselage 6.

In the cabin portion of the fuselage 8 is the upstanding post It on which is the swingable hand lever l9 from the lower end of which projects laterally the arms 20-20, these arms at their outer ends being connected by links 2| to the bolts 22, each of which is provided with a backwardly and obliquely disposed extension 23.

()bviously, by rocking the hand lever [3 in one direction, one bolt 22 can be released and subsequently by rocking the hand lever is in the opposite direction the other bolt 22 can be released, and when these bolts are released, the arms I3 are free to be swung violently at high velocity by the two banks of springs generally referred to by numerals z t-23.

On each wing 1 is a narrow depending cleat 25 having a. plurality of eyes 26 on its rear side. Extending from the eyes of each of the cleats are the elongated tension springs 21 which connect at their rear ends to the eyes 28 on the platelike extension 29 of the free end of the corresponding arm l3. Obviously, when the arms I3 are in the position shown in Figure 1, the-springs 21 are under tension and upon releasement of the before described bolts 22 the arms will be released and the springs will pull the arms 33 forwardly with great velocity so that the force of this action.wi1l discharge the bombs from the stirrups 30. These stirrups 30 are suitably secured to the underside of the arm plate 29.

These stirrups 30 are each of substantially V-shape having laterally disposed extensions 3! suitably secured to the under side of the plate 29, and an arcuate shaped spring 32 engages the side of the bomb 33 in the manner substantially shown in Figure 8 to hold the bomb in the stirrup so that it can only be released by centrifugal force or when the arms I3 strike the upwardly turned ends of the tracks l2.

It can be seen that these springs 32 engage the bombs 33 and that the tail portions of these bombs overlap the floor 34 of the shell formation tering with the openings 38 in the opposite sides of the shell 35. I

Suitable bumpers of resilient material and denoted by numeral 39 can be provided at the ends of the tracks l2 to absorb the shock of the arms striking against the same.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specfic terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In combination with an aircraft having a fuselage and wings, a hollow depending structure at the tail portion of the fuselage, a swingable arm, said arm being swingably connected to the underside of the fuselage adjacent the forward portion thereof, guide means between one of the wings and the intermediate portion of the fuselage for guiding the arm on a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the said wing, tension spring means interconnected between the free end portion of the arm and the wing, trigger means between the fuselage and the arm for holding the free end portion of the arm against the said hollow depending structure, said arm being provided at its free end with a bomb receiving stirrup registrable with the hollow structure, detent means in the stirrup for holding a bomb therein and partly protruding into the hollow depending structure.

2. In combination with an aircraft having a fuselage and wings, a. hollow depending structure at the tail portion of the fuselage, a swingable arm, said arm being swingably connected to the underside of the fuselage adjacent the forward portion thereof, guide means between one of the wings and the intermediate portion of the fuselage for guiding the arm on a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the said wing, tension spring means interconnected between the free end portion of the arm and the wing, trigger means between the fuselage and the arm for holding the free end portion of the arm against the said hollow depending structure, said arm being provided at its free end with a bomb receiving stirrup registrable with the hollow structure, detent means in the stirrup for holding abomb therein and partly protruding into the hollow depending structure, and a power plant cooperative with the swingable end of the arm to drive the arm to a position maintaining the spring means under tension and the stirrup in registration with the depending hollow structure.

JOHN HENRY SMITH, JR. 

